MINI STROKES TO MAJOR STROKES



MINI STROKES TO MAJOR STROKESA stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is?blocked or bursts. Due to the lack of oxygen and blood to the brain, part of the brain begins to die. The part of the body controlled by the damaged area of the brain will not function properly. Brain damage?can begin within minutes; therefore, it is important to know the?symptoms of stroke and act quickly to limit damage to the brain and increase the chance of a full recovery.Symptoms associated with stroke are: Sudden numbness/tingling/weakness/loss of movement in your face/arm/leg, especially on only one side of your body.Sudden?vision?changes.Sudden trouble speaking.Sudden confusion/trouble understanding simple statements.Sudden problems with walking/balance.A sudden, severe?headache?that is different from past?headaches.With any of the above symptoms,?call 911 immediately. It is very important to see your doctor if you have symptoms that seem like a stroke, even if they go away quickly. You may have had a?mini-stroke or transient ischemic attack?(TIA). A TIA is a warning that a stroke may happen soon and receiving early treatment for a TIA can help prevent a stroke. Initially, the doctor needs to define what type of stroke has occurred; ischemic or hemorrhagic. This is important because the medicine given to treat a stroke caused by a blood clot could be fatal if used for a stroke caused by a brain bleed.An?ischemic stroke develops when a?blood clot?blocks a blood vessel in the brain. The clot may form in the blood vessel or travel from somewhere else in the blood system. They are the most common type of stroke in older adults. Treatment plan is to restore blood flow to the brain. If you get to the hospital immediately after symptoms begin, doctors may use a medicine that dissolves blood clots. Research shows that this medicine can improve recovery from a stroke, especially if given within 90 minutes of the first symptoms. Other medicines may be given to prevent blood clots and control symptoms.A?hemorrhagic stroke develops when an artery in the brain leaks or bursts. This causes bleeding inside or around the brain. Hemorrhagic strokes are less common but more deadly than ischemic strokes. A hemorrhagic stroke can be difficult to treat. Doctors may do surgery or other treatments to stop bleeding or reduce pressure on the brain. Medicines may be used to control?blood pressure,?brain swelling, and other problems. It is imperative you see a doctor right away!To determine the type of stroke, the doctor will do a CT scan?of the brain which can show if there is bleeding. The doctor may order other tests to determine location of the clot/bleeding, check for brain damage, and check for other conditions that can cause symptoms similar to a stroke.After your condition is stable, treatment consists of preventing other problems and future strokes. You may need to take medicines to control conditions that put you at risk for stroke, conditions such as high blood pressure,?high cholesterol, and diabetes. Surgery might be recommended to remove?plaque buildup?from the blood vessels that supply the brain (carotid arteries).Risk factors you can control are hypertension, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, heavy alcohol intake, being overweight, and being physically inactive. Risk factors you cannot change are your age (risk of stroke increases with age), race (African Americans, Native Americans and Alaskan Natives are at higher risk), gender (stroke is more common in men than women until age 75, and then more women than men partly due to the fact that women live longer than men), family history (greater risk if immediate family member has had a stroke or TIA), and if you have had a history of stroke or TIA.Rehab is the best way to begin to improve after a stroke. The goal of rehab is to help you regain skills you lost (loss of speech, ambulation, thought processing, etc.) or to help improve and make the most of your remaining abilities. Rehab can also help you to prevent future strokes. You have the greatest chance of regaining abilities during the first few months after a stroke. Therefore, it is important to start rehab soon after a stroke and make it part of your daily routine.You can make some important lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk of stroke and improve your overall health. It is important to treat and manage any health problems you have such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes; take your medications exactly as prescribed; and take a blood thinner or aspirin if recommended by your doctor.As you have heard many times over, adopting a healthy lifestyle is of the utmost importance. Do not smoke (this includes second hand smoke), limit alcohol consumption (2 drinks/day for men and 1 drink/day for women), maintain a healthy weight, do activities such as walking to raise your heart rate (30 minutes for 5 days/week), and eat a balanced diet (lots of fruits/vegetables, fish, low cholesterol/saturated fats, and low salt.Healthy living is beneficial to all walks of life! Reap the benefits - don’t be a stroke victim!Visit the Lehigh County intranet site to schedule your appointment at the Wellness Centre. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download